Currently, Southern Methodist University plans to demolish the historic Dedman School of Law Quad and relocate it across the highway, away from campus. We are opposed to this demolition and relocation plan.

WHEREAS The vast majority of tenured law professors, current law students, law school alumni, practicing attorneys and donors are opposed to this plan. Because the plan faces massive opposition within the law school, so the university has opted not to solicit input from stakeholders at the law school. The plan would locate new law school facilities on SMU's "East Campus" (a collection of parking lots and office buildings in a high-crime area across the highway), and demolish the entirety of the existing law quad on completion.

WHEREAS The SMU Dedman Law quad houses the oldest building on campus (Florence Hall), contains historically protected facilities, and houses the largest private academic library west of the Mississippi River (Underwood Law Library). Relocation poses irreparable risks to the historical texts housed on campus, damage to the law school's ranking as fewer students apply, and damage to the law school's reputation as the university ignores input from the law school. Many students apply to SMU Dedman Law for the serene beauty of the law quad; this advantage would disappear if students heard the sounds and smelled the fumes of a major highway right outside their classroom windows.

WHERAS For 100 years, the law school has fueled Dallas's legal and financial markets. Its alumni include judges, named law-firm partners, business leaders, and philanthropists. This plan is a slap in the face to all of them.

THEREFORE We sign this petition for SMU President Jay Hartzell and the SMU Board of Trustees to abandon this relocation plan to instead improve the existing SMU Dedman Law School facilities (as has been repeatedly promised by the university).